Method of Treatment or Prevention of Hair Loss or for the Enhancement of Hair Growth

Abstract

The present application relates to use of a Midkine family protein for growing hair on a mammal, or in the manufacture of a medicament for growing hair on a mammal, especially for treatment or prevention of different forms of alopecia.

1 . A topical formulation comprising an amount of a midkine family protein and a topical carrier, excipient or emollient effective to treat or prevent hair loss and/or promote hair growth and/or enhance hair growth. 
     
     
         2 . The topical formulation of  claim 1  wherein said formulation is for administration to the dermis or skin of a subject who is susceptible to hair loss or at risk of hair loss. 
     
     
         3 . The topical formulation of  claim 1  wherein said formulation is for administration to the dermis or skin of a subject suffering from hair loss. 
     
     
         4 . The topical formulation according to  claim 1  for treatment or prevention of alopecia. 
     
     
         5 . The topical formulation according to  claim 4 , wherein the alopecia is an acute form of alopecia. 
     
     
         6 . The topical formulation according to  claim 4  wherein the formulation is for treatment or prevention of alopecia in a subject undergoing treatment with a cytotoxic agent or cytostatic agent or to whom treatment with a cytotoxic agent or cytostatic agent has been prescribed. 
     
     
         7 . The topical formulation according to  claim 4 , wherein the alopecia is androgenic alopecia. 
     
     
         8 . The topical formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the midkine family protein is midkine, pleiotrophin, midkine-like protein, or a truncated midkine protein. 
     
     
         9 . The topical formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the midkine family protein is pleiotrophin. 
     
     
         10 . The topical formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the midkine family protein is midkine. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of treatment or prevention of hair loss, said method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a formulation comprising an amount of a midkine family protein and a carrier, excipient or emollient, effective to prevent hair loss and/or promote hair growth and/or enhance hair growth on the subject. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the formulation is a topical formulation and wherein said method comprises administering the topical formulation to an affected area of the skin of the subject in which hair has been lost or to an area of skin from which hair is likely to be lost. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation to a subject suffering from alopecia for a time and under conditions sufficient to reduce hair loss and/or effect hair growth in the subject. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation to a subject suffering from alopecia for a time and under conditions sufficient to prevent or reduce apoptosis of follicles of the subject. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation to a subject suffering from alopecia for a time and under conditions sufficient to extend an anagen phase of follicles of the subject. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation to a subject suffering from alopecia for a time and under conditions sufficient to promote or advance entry of normal telogen follicles of the subject into a following hair cycle. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation to a subject that is suffering from alopecia. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation to a subject that is susceptible to developing alopecia. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the alopecia is an acute form of alopecia. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation to a subject undergoing treatment with a cytotoxic agent or cytostatic agent or to whom treatment with a cytotoxic agent or cytostatic agent has been prescribed. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the alopecia is androgenic alopecia. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the midkine family protein is midkine, pleiotrophin, midkine-like protein, or a truncated midkine protein. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the midkine family protein is pleiotrophin. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the midkine family protein is midkine. 
     
     
         33 . A method of promoting or enhancing hair growth or hair initiation in a subject suffering from hair loss, said method comprising administering to the subject a topical formulation comprising an amount of a midkine family protein and a topical carrier, excipient or emollient effective to prevent hair loss and/or promote hair growth and/or enhance hair growth on the subject. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the midkine family protein is midkine or pleiotrophin. 
     
     
         35 . A method of reducing hair loss in a subject undergoing chemotherapy or to whom chemotherapy has been prescribed, said method comprising administering to the subject a formulation comprising an amount of a midkine family protein and a carrier, excipient or emollient for a time and under conditions sufficient to prevent or reduce hair loss due to the chemotherapy. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation topically to a subject that has been treated with the chemotherapy. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation topically to a subject to whom chemotherapy has been prescribed before commencement of the chemotherapy. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the method comprises administering the formulation topically to a subject to whom chemotherapy has been prescribed before and after commencement of the chemotherapy. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the midkine family protein is midkine. 
     
     
         40 . A method of identifying or isolating a compound that prevents hair loss and/or promotes hair growth and/or enhances hair growth, wherein said method comprises administering a test compound to a mouse, said mouse being aged more than one year and suffering hair loss and having a knockout of one allele of a gene encoding a midkine protein and one other functional allele of the gene, and then determining hair growth and/or reduced hair loss on the mouse, and wherein reduced hair loss and/or increased hair growth and/or an initiation of hair growth on the mouse in the presence of the test compound relative to in the absence of the test compound is indicative of the test compound preventing hair loss and/or promoting hair growth and/or enhancing hair growth.